Caged
by Dread King
Summary: Once ignored; Even a dove can crack, and become a crow. AU. HinaNaru Post Pain arc.


**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto.

**Title**: Caged  
**Genre**: Horror, Romance, Hurt/Comfort, Adventure.  
**Primary Pairing**: HinaNaru  
**Rating**: R  
**Summary**: AU Even doves crack, leaving a visage more fitting to a crow.

_**Status**_: Prologue

* * *

The sun lit the tops of the surrounding forest ablaze with light as it rose over the horizon. Beneath its all encompassing gaze sat a crater where the once prominent Konohagakure no Sato lay. Weeks ago the village had been besieged by the false god, Pain. And yet, the reconstruction effort had already begun. All across the village, small tent cities were erected in the wake of actual buildings.

They would come later, for now the priority lay with the surrounding wall. Cracked and crumbling it was slowly regaining its past glory as the silent protector of the hidden leaf.

It is in the ragged tent of one Uzumaki Naruto where our tale began.

* * *

The tent was dark when the figure arrived after sundown. It crept quietly towards the flap that billowed in the breeze, trying not to arouse the attention of the shinobi in the other nearby tents. The figure disabled a rudimentary trap at the opening which would ring a bell before slipping inside the fabric gateway. Once inside the figure froze, glancing around it steeled its resolve before shimmying up to place its hands on either side of the sleeping person's body.

The figure leaned back, gently sitting down on the sleeping Naruto's chest. He shifted slightly before letting out a snore. Still the figure did not move. Only after a few moments of heavy silence did the figure reach into their pouch to grasp a bottle of ink and a brush. The figure sighed inaudibly before uncorking the bottle and setting it beside Naruto's head.

Gently the figure dipped the brush into the bottle, holding it above to let the excess ink drip back into its container, before moving to his forehead. Taking it's time the figure drew one line with a hook on the end. Moving to the right it left a space for something in the middle while it drew the mirror of its first work on the right side. Moving back to the middle it drew a simple 'X' between the two lines.

Quietly stowing the supplies that it used the figure moved its hands into the ram seal, and gathering chakra in its fingertips, pressed the center of the newly crafted seal_. 'N-Naruto-kun…now you have no choice…but to be mine.'_

As with all caged bird seal activations the initial sealing incited quite a large amount of pain for the bearer. Naruto's eyes shot open as his body convulsed, sending the form on top of him sprawling across the tent. His mouth opened and he started to scream.

* * *

Six tents down Hatake Kakashi's eyes snapped open. Years of instinct kicked in as he flipped his headband up while darting out of his tent. His eye caught everything in crystal clarity as the occupants of the nearest tents emerged to assess the situation. Idly he noticed as Sakura, Kiba, Ino, Shikamaru and Choji emerged from the tents separating him from the awful screech that made itself known as a scream. He dashed past them and slid in front of the tent where Kotetsu and Izumo were dragging a screaming Naruto and a giggling Hinata out of the tent.

He started to relax, thinking of the things the two teens were up to but his sharingan caught sight of a pulse of chakra upon his student's forehead.

His breath caught in his lungs as the Hyuuga Clan's caged bird seal glowed a sickly green color on Naruto's brow.

* * *

_Pluck  
Pluck_

_The feathers fall  
White on the ground  
Gave way  
To black on the body  
Beak twisted  
deformed  
dark  
What have you sown?_

_Pluck  
Pluck  
_

_Red  
White  
Black  
Red_

_What once was a Dove  
_

_Is Now a Crow._

* * *

In a darkened room across the village three men sat in a room. One behind a large ornate desk, while the other two robed in black kneeled before him. "Danzou-sama, there has been a development with the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki." The man on the left began.

The newly named Danzou listened to their report; finally after he had dismissed his two subordinates from his recently acquired office he let his emotions free. Slamming his hand against the desk enough to cause a small crack to form and scatter the few papers that were awaiting his approval.

* * *

There is a reason that the caged bird seal is usually applied at a young age. And as blood dripped from Naruto's eyes and ears, Hinata remembered. When used on someone older than five, the seal would act like a siphon, sending that person's chakra into the sealer. As such, it usually resulted in death.

However, for someone such as the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, nothing can ever be so simple. Hinata too realized this as she felt the rush of a foreign chakra enter her body.

* * *

**Authors Note**: Next update once I get time to type. This is done between English papers and math homework. Just a short little prologue to catch attention. I don't know how long it will be, but the next update; as stated before probably won't be soon. Tell me what you liked, and what you thought could use improvement.  
**ANP2**: The pairing may change with my mood, but as of now it's set as HinaNaru. Also, as you can see, I took some liberties with the Caged bird seal.


End file.
